Congregationalists 
and  the  Christian 
Conquest  of  India. 

By  MISS  ANSTICE  ABBOTT 


Printed  for  use  in  Mission  Study  Classes,  being  an  advance 
edition  of  the  January,  1907,  number  of  the 
Envelope  Series. 


THE  AMERICAN 

BOARD  OF  COMMISSIONERS  FOR 
FOREIGN  MISSIONS. 

14  BEACON  STREET,  BOSTON,  MASS. 


FOREWORD 


ill 


In  this  number  of  the  Envelope  Series  we 
present  a comprehensive  account  of  the  American 
Board's  three  missions  in  India  — Marathi,  Ma- 
dura and  Ceylon.  The  time  is  auspicious  for  the 
printing  of  such  a sketch,  because  this  year  thou- 
ands  of  young  people  and  adults  are  studying 
Christian  missions  in  India  in  connection  with  the 
Study  Classes  of  the  Young  People's  Missionary 
Movement.  Using  Dr.  Thoburn's  excellent  text- 
book for  a general  treatment  of  the  religious  needs 
and  work  of  this  fascinating  country,  this  little 
pamphlet  will  be  welcomed  by  these  classes  as  a 
supplement  covering  the  work  of  our  own  Board. 
The  story  is  told,  however,  in  a manner  to  interest 
all  classes  of  readers,  and  we  believe  any  person 
perusing  these  pages  will  be  impressed  by  the 
variety  of  our  Indian  work.  Take  the  journey 
yourself  under  Miss  Abbott's  guidance,  and  form 
your  own  conclusions.  For  ourselves  we  have 
viewed  this  array  of  churches,  schools,  hospitals, 
asylums,  industrial  plants,  and,  most  of  all,  the 
noble  men  and  women  carrying  on  this  work  with 
a new  and  profound  sense  of  gratitude  and  admira- 
tion. It  is  a great  thing  to  be  a partner  in  such  an 
enterprise.  Miss  Abbott  is  a sister  of  Rev.  J.  E. 
Abbott,  D.D.,  of  Bombay,  and  is  qualified  for  her 
task  by  a long  and  fruitful  ministry  in  the  Mar- 
athi mission.  The  parents  of  Dr.  Abbott  and 
Miss  Abbott  labored  for  many  years  in  the  mis- 
sion field. 

This  is  the  last  number  of  the  Envelope  Series 
for  this  year,  and  you  should  be  sending  us  your 
ten  cents  as  a subscriber  if  you  want  us  to  con- 
tinue your  name  on  our  list.  While  we  circulate 
this  little  quarterly  freely  in  some  directions,  we 
cannot  retain  our  privilege  of  second  class  govern- 
ment rate  without  a bona  fide  subscription  list  on 
an  extensive  scale.  By  subscribing  you  help 
yourself  and  at  the  same  time  enable  us  to  help 
others. 

Cornelius  H.  Patton,  4 
Home  Secretary.  ' 


* 

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CO 


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The  American  Marathi 
Mission* 


The  Haystack  prayer-meeting  of  1806,  cry- 
stallized into  the  American  Board  in  1810.  In 
1813,  its  first  missionaries  landed  in  Bombay. 
As  soon  as  their  errand  was  known,  they  met  with 
a most  inhospitable  reception.  The  East  India 
Trading  Company  of  Great  Britain  had  obtained 
a strip  of  land  for  its  commercial  enterprizes,  and 


although  peaceful  in  its  prospectus,  it  was  as 
ready  to  defend  its  rights  against  the  entering  in 
of  the  righteousness  of  the  Prince  of  Peace  as 
against  the  encroachment  of  the  French  and 
natives. 

However,  a new  governor  at  last  gave  way  to 
the  persistency  of  the  Americans,  and  Samuel  £ 
Newell,  Samuel  Nott,  and  Gordon  Hall  were  per- 
mitted to  enter  the  city  of  Bombay.  In  spite  of 
the  hostility  of  climate,  customs,  and  people, 
these  pioneers  held  on  indomitably.  Others 


4 


joined  them,  and  they  made  themselves  a name 
and  place.  In  1827,  after  fourteen  years  of  labor 
and  discouragement,  the  first  missionary  church 
was  formed  of  three  members. 

The  years  that  followed  brought  other  con- 
secrated young  lives  to  sow  the  seed.  Young- 
men  and  women  leaving  home  and  friends,  with 
little  hope  of  seeing  them  again,  undertook  the 
long,  weary  voyage  of  six  months  from  Boston 
to  Bombay,  in  merchant  ships  that  furnished 
scanty  comfort  or  convenience. 

Mrs.  Harriet  Newell,  one  of  the  pioneer  band, 
a woman  of  sweet  courage,  was  the  first  to  die  in 
a foreign  land.  Her  grave,  in  the  Isle  of  France, 
is  a memorial  of  her  as  precious,  we  can  believe, 
to  the  Saviour,  as  the  alabaster  box  broken  over 
His  feet. 

Among  these,  who  from  longer  lives  cr  greater 
ability,  were  permitted  to  leave  their  mark,  we 
think  especially  of  Gordon  Hall,  one  of  the 
greatest  of  the  early  missionaries  of  the  Board, 
who,  by  his  persistency,  won  Bombay;  David 
Allen  in  his  literary  labors,  and  Robert  Hume 
in  his  evangelistic  and  pastoral  successes. 

In  1831  the  Ahmednagar  station  in  the  interior 
was  opened  by  Messrs.  Graves  and  Read.  They 
were  not  long  in  this  new  field,  but  were  followed 
by  Messrs.  Ballantine,  Burgess,  French,  and  Ab- 
bott. Twenty  years  later,  there  were  in  the  field 
William  Barker,  Samuel  Fairbank,  Lemuel  Bissell, 
and  Richard  Winsor.  These  opened  up,  or  con- 
tinued, the  stations  of  Yadala,  and  Sirur.  Samuel 
Fairbank,  a lover  of  nature,  helped  the  people  to 
till  their  fields  intelligently,  and  through  nature 
and  the  Gospel,  has  won  a harvest  of  souls  for 
Nature’s  God.  Lemuel  Bissell  spent  most  of  his 
missionary  life  in  Ahmednagar.  He  developed 
the  Theological  Seminary  and  was  indefatigable 
in  touring  and  in  the  care  of  village  churches. 
Mrs.  Mary  Bissell  has  but  just  passed  away,  hav- 
ing rounded  out  more  than  fifty  years  of  mission 
service. 

Richard  Winsor  was  the  first  to  introduce  in- 
dustrial schools,  and  in  Sirur,  he  brought  this 
} phase  of  mission  work  up  to  an  excellent  standard. 

In  the  fifties  work  was  systematically  begun  in 
the  Satara  district,  and  in  1861  in  the  Sholapur 
district. 

Of  all  these,  and  other  pioneers,  none  remain. 


5 


They  have  entered  into  their  rest  and  “ their 
works  do  follow  them.”  We  would  fain,  if  there 
were  more  space,  write  of  the  devoted  women  who 
have  shared  in  their  trials  and  toils  and  not  less  in 
their  joys  and  rewards.  They  have  been,  not 
only  true  wives  and  mothers,  but  co-laborers, 
bearing  responsibilities  in  their  own  lines  of  work. 

The  past  of  this  mission  has  not  only  a claim 
upon  our  thought  and  sympathetic  interest,  but  it 
appeals  directly  to  our  present  sense  of  duty. 
The  preparations  for  conquest  have  been  well 
made  and  developed;  we  are  now  desirous  to 
know  how  the  conquest  is  going  on. 

To  see  is  to  know.  We  therefore  pray  for  the 
power  to  give  you  such  a glimpse  of  things  as  they 
are,  that  you  will  have  “the  substance  of  things 
hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen.” 

We  steam,  let  us  say,  at  sunset,  into  Bombay 
harbor,  the  largest  and  safest  in  the  world.  On 
the  right,  a range  of  hills  stands  protecting,  clad 
in  exquisite  purples  and  browns.  On  the  left  is 
the  fair  city,  Bombay  the  Beautiful.  The  setting 
sun  gilds  her  towers  and  minarets  and  lights  up 
her  noble  buildings.  No  time  for  dreams  and 
visions,  however,  for  from  the  shore  come  hasten- 
ing launches  and  boats  of  every  description. 
Here  comes  our  welcome,  too,  from  the  friend 
who  takes  us  and  ours  under  his  care.  We  are 
soon  driving  through  wide  and  clean  streets.  We 
pass  the  Royal  Yacht  Club,  the  fine  yacht  cham- 
bers, the  Taj  Mahal  Palace  Hotel,  then  the  new 
buildings  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  and  Y.  W.  C.  A.  for 
Europeans.  In  quick  succession  we  pass  college 
and  university  buildings,  law  courts,  post  and 
telegraph,  one  of  the  finest  railway  stations  in  the 
world,  until  we  are  filled  with  surprise.  “Can 
this  be  the  India  for  whose  uplifting  I have  con- 
secrated my  life?”  you  are  saying  in  your  heart. 
But  lower  your  eyes,  dear  friends,  from  the  beauty 
and  greatness  of  the  buildings  and  look  about  you, 
especially  that  we  have  come-  now  into  narrower 
and  more  crowded  streets.  Here,  on  the  right, 
is  the  Monkey  Temple,  dedicated  to  Hanuman, 
the  great  monkey  god.  Now  across  the  street  is 
a shrine;  we  have  a glimpse  of  red  and  tinsel,  and 
a huge,  hideous  face.  Here,  where  the  drums  are 
mingling  in  the  din,  are  two  Jain  temples  upon 
whose  walls  are  no  gross  images,  but  within  are 
unwritable  abominations. 


6 


Through  all  the  long  street  of  three  miles,  we 
passed  a veritable  kaleidoscope  of  forms  and  faces. 
People  of  every  caste  and  of  nearly  every  land. 
People  in  a city  where  at  least  seventy-nine  dia- 
lects are  spoken.  God  made  all  these  in  His  own 
image;  breathed  His  spirit  into  them;  gives  them 
a conscience  that  He  may  not  be  left  without  wit- 
ness. In  many  good  traits,  they  are  not  a whit 
behind  us.  Then,  why  not  let  them  alone,  be- 
lieving that  their  religion  is  good  enough  for  them? 
Because  it  isn't.  You  cannot  realize  the  awful 
gulf  there  is  between  worshipping  one  God,  who  is 
immeasurably  above  you  in  holiness  and  love,  and 
the  bowing  down  to  a swarm  of  deities  who  are  far 
below  the  human  in  their  morals.  Until  you  know 
these  people,  you  cannot  even  imagine  the  barren- 
ness and  desolation  of  their  hearts.  It  is  only  the 
love  of  God  in  Christ,  and  the  ever  flowing  waters 
of  the  Spirit  that  can  make  “the  wilderness  blos- 
som as  the  rose."  This  is  what  the  Hindu  heart 
needs,  the  knowledge  of  the  love  and  righteous- 
ness of  the  Almighty. 

We  will  now  see  what  is  being  done  in  this  great 
city  of  982,000  inhabitants,  by  the  representatives 
of  the  Congregational  churches  in  the  United 
States.  We  drive  first  to  the  one  missionary 
compound  owned  by  the  American  Board.  Here, 
on  the  right,  is  the  High  School  building;  the  one 
further  on  for  the  primary  classes.  The  building 
in  front  of  us  is  the  missionary  bungalow,  and  on 
the  left,  is  Fiske  Hall,  the  boys'  boarding  depart- 
ment. Here  we  find  Rev.  B.  K.  and  Mrs.  Hunsber- 
ger  in  charge.  This  mission  school  in  all  its  de- 
partments owes  its  development  and  well-equip- 
ped buildings  to  the  zeal  and  enthusiasm  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  E.  S.  Hume.  Nearly  four  hundred 
Christian  boys  and  girls  are  now  receiving  a solid 
education  under  well-trained  teachers,  some  of 
whom  have  given  many  years  of  devoted  service. 
An  efficient  industrial  department  is  connected 
with  the  school  and  a lucrative  class  for  embroid- 
eries in  the  girls'  department.  Five  minutes 
away  is  Bowker  Hall,  the  girls'  boarding  home,  a 
noble  memorial  of  Mrs.  Albert  Bowker,  the  first 
) president  of  the  Woman's  Board  of  Missions. 
This  school,  in  all  its  departments,  is  an  honor  to 
the  Mission  and  a necessity  to  the  city 

Those  who  in  the  years  past  have  graduated 
from  this  school  are  many  of  them  the  chief  sup- 


7 


porters  of  the  church,  and  active  members  in 
church  and  mission  work.  Their  Christian  in- 
fluence is  felt  in  government  offices  and  business 
circles. 

Our  next  visit  is  to  the  two  buildings  of  the 
school  for  the  Blind.  Miss  Millard,  who  began 
the  school,  is  happy  and  busy  in  its  development. 
Here  we  find  fifty  boys  and  girls — most  of  them 
saved  from  famine  and  beggary,  and  now  happy 
and  being  prepared  for  useful  lives.  The  school 
has  found  many  friends  among  Europeans  and 
Indians,  and  is  supplying  a great  need  so  far  as  its 
present  accommodations  allow. 


There  are  now 
twelve  other  schools 
to  visit,  the  boys’ 
boarding  school,  un- 
der Mrs.  Abbott,  and 
the  day  schools  for 
Hindu  children;  some 
for  high  caste  and 
some  for  low  caste, 
but  mostly  for  girls. 
They  are  supervised 
by  the  ladies  of  the 
Mission,  beside  their 
other  mission  duties. 
Parents  send  their 
children  to  the  Chris- 
tian schools  to  learn 
morals  and  manners 


REV.  ,T.  E.  ABBOTT,  D.D. 


as  well  as  books,  hoping  in  some  indefinite  way 
that  the  Christianity  they  learn,  will  not  hurt 
them.  Among  the  parents,  however,  there  are 
many  who  have  learned  to  love  the  Saviour 
through  the  knowledge  which  comes  to  them  in 
the  verses,  hymns,  and  Bible  stories  which  the 
child  repeats  at  home.  Each  school  has  its  own 
Sunday  school  connected  with  it,  and  as  you  look 
into  the  bright,  interested  faces,  it  will  be  hard 
for  you  to  imagine  that  they  are  not  Christian 
children. 

From  these  schools,  we  drive  to  the  new  church 
building.  A beautiful  building  it  is.  It  has  a 
seating  capacity  of  1,000,  but  it  is  still  unfinished  \ 
and  unfurnished,  save  with  the  seats  from  the  old 
church.  It  awaits  its  dedication  until  its  debt  is 
paid,  and  for  this  $6,000  are  still  wanting.  They 
are  a goodly  company  of  Congregationalists  who 


8 


assemble  there,  seven  hundred  strong.  The  Sun- 
day school  is  flourishing  and  the  Christian  En- 
deavor Society  has  many  branches. 

Near  by  the  parsonage  is  a spot  we  covet  for  a 
medical  dispensary.  Our  doctor,  Mrs.  Gurubai 
Karmarkar,  who  knows  her  own  countrywomen  as 
no  foreigner  can,  has  two  small  dispensaries  for 
women,  but  they  are  inconvenient  and  illy  placed 
for  the  purpose.  The  women  and  children  of  the 
Christian  community  depend  on  these  dispensaries 
and  upcn  the  medical  visits.  In  6894  cases 
treated  last  year,  more  than  a thousand  were 
those  of  Hindu,  Parsi,  and  Mohammedan  women 
to  whom  these  ministrations  are  a means  of  soul- 
saving as  well  as  of  physical  healing:  Not  far 
away  is  the  home  of  the  Karmarkars.  Rev. 
Sumantras  Karmarkar  is  at  the  head  of  the 
evangelistic  work  of  the  Mission  in  the  city.  He 
is  a bonafide  Congregationalist,  having  studied  for 
the  ministry  in  Yale  and  Hartford.  Besides 
preaching  on  the  streets  and  in  the  bazaars  with 
those  who  accompany  him,  he  has  erected  a taber- 
nacle convenient  to  schools  and  colleges  for  Hin- 
dus and  Parsis,  where,  aided  often  by  mission- 
aries of  every  Board,  he  has  daily  preaching  and 
hours  for  conversation.  He  also  edits  the  weekly 
Sunday  school  leaflet,  which  is  an  adapted  trans- 
lation of  the  International  Sunday  school  series. 
Mr.  Karmarker  gives  also  much  of  his  time  in 
travelling  in  connection  with  his  duties  as  Secre- 
tary of  the  Christian  Endeavor  Society  of  the 
Bombay  Presidency,  and  as  one  of  the  executive 
committee  of  the  new  Indian  National  Mission- 
ary Society. 

We  must  make  a flying  visit  to  the  Mission 
Treasurer  and  Secular  Agent,  Mr.  M.  A.  Peacock, 
and  stop  at  the  home  of  Rev.  Dr.  J.  E.  Abbott 
and  Mrs.  Abbott.  Being  the  senior  missionaries, 
they  have  the  care  of  the  church  and  the  Christian 
community.  Here  is  the  center  of  literary  ac- 
tivity of  the  Mission.  Dr.  Abbott  is  the  secretary 
of  the  Mission  and  the  editor  of  its  weekly  organ, 
the  Dnyanodaya , a publication  which  meets  the 
need  cf  a Christian  paper  throughout  the  districts 
\ of  this  mission  and  those  of  others,  and  enters  also 
into  innumerable  Hindu  homes  and  libraries. 
Much  of  Dr.  Abbott’s  time  is  taken  in  the  daily 
sessions  of  the  Bible  Revision  Committee,  in  con- 
nection with  representatives  from  the  other  prin- 


9 


cipal  missions.  His  influence  is  felt  also  in  com- 
mittees of  the  Bible  Society,  Tract  Society,  and 
the  Indian  Y.  M.  C.  A.  His  antiquarian  re- 
searches and  papers  on  language  are  appreciated 
and  called  for  by  Government  and  the  Royal 
Asiatic  Society. 

The  mission  has  incurred  a heavy  loss  in  the 
closing  up  of  all  its  Bible  women’s  work.  A year 
ago  there  were  two  flourishing  classes  for  Bible 
training,  and  an  efficient  corps  of  Bible  women. 

A large  weekly  prayer  meeting  for  women  and  a 
Dorcas  Society.  There  was  also  a most  interest- 
ing and  needed  home  for  widows  of  high  caste. 
Miss  Abbott,  who  labored  especially  for  the  women 
for  eighteen  years,  was  obliged  to  give  up  her 
work  in  1905.  The  Widow’s  Home  has  been  re- 
moved to  Wai,  and  all  the  rest  of  the  work  for 
women  is  stopped  for  want  of  a woman  to  take 
up  all  these  branches  of  work  again. 

We  have  lingered  at  Bombay,  as  it  is  an  in- 
troductory city,  historically  and  literally,  but 
there  remains  yet  to  be  seen  the  greater  part  of 
the  Marathi  Mission’s  work. 

On  the  railway  journey  of  about  two  hundred 
miles  to  Ahmednagar,  we  pass  through  the  marshy 
rice  fields  of  the  Konkan  and  then  ascend  by  a fine 
piece  of  railway  engineering,  the  2,000  feet  up  the 
ghauts  to  the  great  Deccan  plain.  We  have  left 
the  humid  heat  of  Bombay  for  a drier  and  clearer 
air.  If  you  have  come  with  visions  of  tropical 
luxuriance,  they  are  sadly  dispelled.  For,  unless 
we  are  travelling  in  the  rainy  season  there  is 
nought  anywhere  but  brown,  parched  earth  and 
with  few  exceptions,  trees  of  shrivelled  leaves. 

If,  however,  you  pass  these  regions  in  the  rainy 
months,  your  dreams  will  be  realized;  rank  ver- 
dure everywhere,  trees  in  dense  foliage,  streams 
and  cascades  rushing  down  the  mountain  sides, 
and  the  rolling  meadows  of  the  plain  in  beautiful 
greens  of  grass  and  grain.  On  our  way,  we  pass 
Poona,  a large,  military  station,  two  or  three 
towns,  and  many  villages,  compact  and  small. 
The  farmers,  men  and  women,  are  working  in 
their  fields,  often  far  away  from  their  village 
homes,  and  on  the  roads,  pass  an  endless  proces-  ( 
sion  of  people  and  carts. 

Ahmednagar  is  a hive  of  study  and  industry 
and  one  must  rise  with  courage  and  strength  to 
go  the  rounds  of  mission  undertakings.  The 


JO 


city  is  three  miles  from  the  station,  and  we  are  not 
much  more  than  half  there  before  we  are  stopped 
to  see  the  first  institution.  Here  we  find  two  long 
neat  buildings,  the  homes  of  two  hundred  lively 
boys  and  girls,  saved  from  the  famine,  and  prov- 
ing by  their  ready  response  to  teaching  and  train- 
ing their  right  to  live.  The  responsible  heads  of 
these  houses  are  under  the  supervision  of  Miss 
Nugent.  Further  on,  we  come  to  the  large  ground 
and  suitable  buildings  of  the  Normal  School.  It 
is  a necessity  in  the  training  of  teachers  to  meet 
the  need  of  the  rural  districts  and  will  call  for  a 
new  man  to  be  at  its  head. 


DR.  AND  MRS.  R.  A.  HUME,  DAUGHTER  AND  NATIVE  WORKERS 


At  our  right  is  another  compound  with  three 
buildings.  We  shall  do  well  to  enter  the  mis- 
sionary bungalow  first  and  be  welcomed  by  the 
senior  missionaries  of  the  city,  Rev.  Dr.  Robert  A. 
Hume  and  Mrs.  Hume.  Dr.  Hume,  so  well  known 
in  America,  will  scarce  need  an  introduction,  and 
we  find,  as  we  expected,  that  he  will  be  our  guide 
through  the  city,  acting  on  his  motto : “The  more 
one  does,  the  more  one  can.”  He  has  the  general 
supervision  of  the  church  and  the  large  Christian 
-community  in  the  city;  is  the  head  of  the  Theolo- 
gical Seminary,  the  acting  principal  of  the  Normal 
School,  and  has  beside  the  Parner  District  of  a 
population  of  71,000  for  his  parish.  There  are  125 
villages  with  six  churches,  twenty  schools,  and 


n 


thirty-two  agents  to  supervise.  Dr.  Hume  is  pre- 
eminently the  spokesman  of  the  Mission.  Matters 
requiring  government  or  other  official  notice  or 
sanction  are  usually  given  to  him  for  presenta- 
tion. Mrs.  Hume  has  charge  of  the  two  buildings 
in  the  compound,  the  Alice  Home  and  the  Chapin 
Home.  The  former  has  nearly  150  girls,  most  of 
them  saved  from  the  famine  of  six  years  ago. 
Nearly  all  are  still  studying  and  all  are  doing 
something  toward  their  support  by  rug  weaving 
and  lace  making.  The  Chapin  Home  is  intended 
to  furnish  a home  for  women  who  wish  to  become 
Christians.  It  is  more  or  less  a temporary  home 
and  the  women  are  required  to  labor  for  their 
own  maintenance.  To  teach  and  to  provide 
work  for  so  many  women  and  children  draws 
heavily  on  judgment  and  strength,  but  will 
bring  forth  important  results  in  the  future. 

Outside  the  bungalow,  but  close  by,  is  a dispen- 
sary, in  charge  of  Dr.  Beals,  and  a hospital  ward. 
Humble  in  their  way,  but  meeting  the  need  of 
8,360  cases  the  past  year.  There  should  rise 
on  these  foundations  a well-equipped  hospital 
especially  for  the  training  of  young  men  for  nurses 
and  assistant  doctors.  There  is  not  only  an  in- 
creasing need  but  an  increasing  desire  for  Christian 
medical  attendance  in  hundreds  of  villages  and 
from  people  of  every  caste. 

Beyond  the  dispensary  are  the  weaving  fac- 
tories, established  by  the  Industrial  Aids  Mission 
of  England,  but  carried  on  for  and  by  the  Ameri- 
can Mission.  They  give  employment  to  hundreds 
of  Christian  young  people,  and  are  under  the 
supervision  of  Mr.  D.  C.  Churchill.  Mrs.  Churchill 
cares  specially  for  the  girls  employed  in  * the 
factories. 

Down  by  the  river  side,  we  come  to  the  board- 
ing department  of  the  High  School  boys,  full  to 
overflowing.  Neatness,  order,  flowers,  and  pets, 
prove  that  the  boys’  hearts  and  bodies  are  cared 
for  as  well  as  their  heads.  Rev*.  James  Smith  and 
Mrs.  Smith  who  care  for  these  boys,  are  living  in 
the  adjoining  bungalow.  Mr.  Smith  is  the  prin- 
cipal of  the  High  School  itself,  which  we  will 
presently  visit. 

We  must  hasten  on  to  the  neat  little  building 
for  the  training  of  Bible  women.  We  find  it 
closed.  Why?  Because  there  is  no  one  who  can  be 
found  to  parry  it  on!  We  turn  away  disappointed, 


to  visit  the  new  hospital  for  women.  Here  is 
something  to  cheer  us,  for  this  fine  building  with 
its  equipments  is  a realization  of  years  of  effort 
and  prayer.  8,022  cases  have  been  treated  here 
and  in  the  dispensary  within  the  city  walls.  Dr. 
Ruth  Hume  and  Dr.  Eleanor  Stephenson  are  the 
physicians  in  charge.  Not  only  Christian  women 
and  children  but  Hindu  and  Mohammedan  receive 
here  loving  care  for  souls  as  well  as  bodies. 

As  we  leave  the  hospital,  we  turn  to  our  left  to 
enter  the  city  itself,  for  in  all  our  visits  so  far,  we 
have  been  on  the  outside  skirting  the  walls.  The 
city  of  38,000  souls  is  well  walled  in,  and  its  heavy 
gates  are  still  closed  at  night.  The  houses  for  the 
most  part  are  low  and  the  streets  narrow  and 
swarming  with  humanity,  and  more — camels, 
cows,  goats,  and  dogs  share  with  the  two-footed 
passers,  the  equal  right  of  way.  A few  moments 
after  entering,  we  are  whisked  through  a gate  into 
the  compound  of  the  girls'  school.  A long,  low 
building  hums  with  the  voices  of  the  pupils.  Six 
hundred  and  twenty  girls,  from  the  infants  of  the 
kindergarten  to  classes  in  a High  School  course, 
are  here  in  the  process  of  being  educated.  The 
teachers  are  bright  and  efficient,  as  you  can  see  at 
a glance,  and  they  have  two  superintendents, 
Miss  Nugent,  the  principal,  and  Miss  Gates,  who 
assists  her. 

These  little  cottages  in  the  compound  are  the 
homes  of  the  girls,  and  have  a matron  in  each. 
The  large  building  on  the  right  is  the  old  church, 
built  seventy  years  ago,  at  least,  with  later  addi- 
tions. It  is  used  now  for  chapel  exercises  and 
other  needs  of  the  school.  A grand  work  this  is, 
training  the  girls  of  the  Christian  community. 
Not  only  from  the  city,  but  from  all  the  districts 
of  the  Mission,  are  girls  sent  who  are  capable  of  a 
higher  education  than  that  which  is  afforded  by 
the  station  schools. 

Across  the  road,  we  enter  the  bungalow,  long 
associated  with  Mrs.  Mary  Bissell  and  her  labors 
for  the  poor,  the  maimed  and  the  halt.  Her  large 
classes  of  Bible  women,  her  noon  prayer-meeting 
for  Christian  women,  etc.,  will  probably  be  now 
carried  on  by  her  daughter,  Miss  Emily  Bissell. 
The  latter  will  also  continue  her  work  as  editor  of 
the  Balbodhmewa , a bright  and  instructive  ver- 
nacular monthly  for  the  young.  Her  companion 
m this  home  is  Mary  Moulton.  Rev.  Henry  G. 


'3 


Bissell  has  charge  of  the  Jeur  district,  which  has  a 
population  of  17,500,  with  thirty  villages  where 
Christians  live.  There  are  six  churches  and  a 
Christian  community  of  840,  nine  schools  and 
seventeen  native  agents.  How  many  ministers 
in  America  have  a parish  of  like  extent? 

We  have  run  far  out  of  the  city,  but  we  are  only 
accounting  for  the  missionaries  who  live  in  the 
city,  but  whose  fields,  like  those  of  the  farmers,  lie 
far  away,  and  require  days  and  nights  of  travel 
and  camping.  We  must  go  on,  however,  in  our 


REV.  R.  A.  HUME,  D.D. 


visits,  and  are  whirled  away  to  the  compound  of 
the  High  School.  In  one  large  building  are  the 
class  rooms  of  the  higher  grades,  with  a large  hall 
for  chapel  services;  in  another,  the  preparatory 
classes  are  found.  Over  three  hundred  boys  are 
here  taught.  A majority  of  them  are  Christians, 
but  Hindu  and  Mohammedan*  boys  share  in  the 
prraleges  offered.  The  other  buildings  are  for  the 
industrial  classes  connected  with  the  school, 
cabinet  work  of  all  kinds  and  silver  and  copper  K 
work.  We  shall  find  everything  well  done,  for 
Rev.  James  Smith,  the  enthusiastic  principal, 
believes  in  perfection.  The  young  men,  trained  to 


14 


use  their  hands  as  well  as  their  heads,  already  give 
promise  of  being  the  financial  backbone  of  the 
native  church. 

We  hasten  on  to  the  new  church,  a large,  im- 
posing building,  but  not'  too  large  for  its  con- 
gregation of  eight  or  nine  hundred.  This,  too,  is 
yet  unfinished,  and  awaiting  dedication,  but  we 
imagine  that  Dr.  Hume  will  be  indefatigable  until 
he  11  brings  it  to  pass.”  There  is  another  church 
that  we  have  missed  in  our  rounds,  but  it  is  worth 
noting,  because  it  makes  no  draft  on  mission 
money  nor  help,  except  by  way  of  sympathy  and 
counsel.  It  is,  however,  a product  of  past  mis- 
sionary labor  and  is  hailed  now  as  a co-worker. 

Our  last  visit  must  be  made  to  the  Theological 
Seminary.  This  consists  of  a neat  building  for 
lectures  and  the  like,  and  a hotel  for  the  students. 
Dr.  Hume  is  the  principal  with  Mr.  Bissell  as  his 
colleague.  The  curriculum  of  the  seminary  pro- 
vide for  half-year  sessions,  the  young  men  being 
employed  during  the  rest  of  the  year  as  catechists 
or  preachers  according  to  their  ability.  This 
most  important  institution  is  in  urgent  need  of 
better  and  enlarged  quarters,  and  especially  of 
help  in  its  staff.  The  missionaries  who  are  in 
charge  are  already  over-burdened  with  their  work 
in  the  city  and  districts,  and  find  it  almost  im- 
possible to  undertake  this  task,  which  to  do  it 
justice  requires  a tax  on  the  brain  and  leisure  for 
thought. 

We  have  not  visited  the  six  schools  scattered 
about  the  city,  lights  shining  in  the  darkness,  but 
they  are  worth  visiting,  each  one.  In  one  there 
are  fifty  lively  boys,  all  Hindus,  with  two  Christian 
teachers.  Two  are  of  high  caste  girls,  neat  and 
demure,  with  sweet,  soft  voices.  Still  another  is 
filled  with  girls  of  the  low  castes,  bright  and  ag- 
gressive, but  not  as  pleasing  in  their  appearance. 
How  much  more  we  may  have  missed  in  this  mis- 
sionary city,  we  do  not  know,  but,  overpowering 
as  it  all  seems  in  proportion  to  the  staff  at  work, 
the  half  has  not  been  told. 

We  have  run  over  two  cities  of  this  mission 
somewhat  in  detail  as  being  representative  and 
) central.  We  cannot  do  the  same  for  all  the 
stations  that  remain,  although  they  cry  out  to  us 
their  importance  and  appeal  to  us  in  their  in- 
dividual characteristics.  We  can  only  glance  at 
what  is  peculiar  to  each,  and  discuss  more  at 


our  leisure  what  is  common  to  all  in  these  wide 
fields. 

We  must  rise  early  and  pack  ourselves  into 
roomy  tangas.  I say  “pack”  advisedly,  for  travel- 
ling in  India  means  more  than  oneself  and  a suit- 
case. Besides  our  own  personal  belongings,  we 
are  to  carry  the  bedding  and  culinary  department 
of  the  driver,  for,  as  he  is  a Maratha  and  going 
among  Christians,  he  must  provide  everything 
for  an  independent  board  and  lodging.  These 
other  mysterious  packages  are  a basket  of  bread, 
a bag  of  flour,  and  “tell  it  not  in  Gath,”  a piece  of 
beef  for  our  dinner,  already  roasted  by  some  kind 
friend  in  the  city,  that  it  may  keep  on  the  way. 
You  see,  we  are  going  to  drive  twenty-six  miles 
into  Vadala  where  beef  is  unknown  in  the  mar- 
kets, and  mutton  a scarcity;  nothing  but  the 
everlasting  chicken. 

Vadala  district  numbers  60,000  in  population. 
The  town  of  Vadala  is  a large  one  and  fairly  pros- 
perous. The  two  missionary  bungalows  are  out- 
side of  the  town.  Here,  too,  are  the  boarding 
quarters  of  the  boys  and  girls  who  come  in  from 
the  village  schools  to  prepare  for  higher  grades 
in  Bombay  or  Ahmednagar. 

Out  of  school  hours,  we  shall  find  the  boys  busy 
in  gardening,  well-digging,  and  road-making; 
the  girls,  in  the  making  of  laces.  A class  of 
women  also  support  themselves  by  this  industry. 
A commodious  schoolhouse,  a dispensary,  and 
the  new  church  building,  are  nearer  the  city.  The 
church  is  truly  “a  light  set  upon  a hill.”  It  is 
built  large,  with  room  to  grow,  for  it  is  built  in 
faith.  This  is  the  Fairbank  field.  Rev.  Dr. 
Fairbank  laid  the  foundations  for  mission  work  in 
the  district.  His  name  is  respected  and  cherished 
by  Hindu  and  Christian.  His  son,  Rev.  Edward 
Fairbank,  and  Mrs.  Fairbank,  have  the  privilege 
of  continuing  and  increasing  the  work  in  every 
direction.  They  are  happy,  after  many  years  of 
pleading  for  help,  to  have  as  colleagues,  Rev. 
Alden  H.  Clark  and  Mrs.  Clark.  Beside  all  the 
work  of  the  station,  there  are  one  hundred  and 
fifty  villages  to  care  for,  twenty-nine  schools, 
twelve  churches,  over  4,000  Christians,  and  an 
agency  of  seventy-two  men  and  women  workers 
This  is  a peculiarly  fruitful  field  and  urgently  calls 
for  more  helpers. 

Reluctantly  we  rush  from  this  attractive  place 


across  country  to  Rahuri.  Here  we  find  Rev. 
W.  0.  Ballantine,  M.D.,  and  Mrs.  Ballantine,  in 
charge.  As  his  name  indicates,  he  belongs  to  the 
I.  O./or  India's  Own,  a degree  conferred  upon 
all  missionaries'  children,  by  the  lamented  Dr. 
Phillips,  late  secretary  of  the  Sunday  School 
Union.  In  passing,  we  call  your  attention  to  the 
fact  that  this  mission  has  had  no  less  than  twenty- 
four  I.  O.'s  who  have  proved  their  devotion  to 
their  native  land  by  returning  to  labor  for  it.  In 
the  town  of  Rahuri,  we  find  as  usual  the  station 
school,  the  boarding  quarters  of  the  pupils,  a 
dispensary,  and  a church.  In  the  dispensary 
Dr.  Ballantine  and  his  assistant  have  treated  over 
7,000  cases.  The  church  building  is  slowly  rising 
as  money  is  received.  This  district  has  felt  the 
force  of  famine  more  than  any  other,  and  yet  the 
church  is  increasing  and  has  entirely  outgrown 
the  building.  For  industries,  there  is  an  orange 
grove  and  large  farms,  where  the  school  boys  are 
taught  agriculture  and  the  Christian  men  find 
employment.  In  the  town  we  must  visit  the 
“ Christ  Sadan,"  (Christ  Home),  where  inquirers 
from  all  parts  of  India  can  come  to  learn  of  Christ. 
The  host  this  time,  the  Rev.  N.  Tilak,  being  a 
converted  Brahmin,  can  more  readily  than  a 
foreigner,  understood  the  difficulties  of  his 
guests  and  give  them  the  sympathy  they  need. 
Rahuri  district  has  a population  of  95,000,  with 
170  villages,  ten  churches,  twenty-six  schools, 
and  a native  agency  of  forty-four  to  super- 
vise. 

Now,  away  to  Sirur,  with  a tanga  drive  of 
thirty-eight  miles.  The  district  has  a population 
of  ninety  thousand,  two  churches,  ten  schools, 
and  thirty-five  native  workers.  The  town  of 
Sirur  is  well  placed  by  a river  and  is  often  used  as 
a military  station  by  the  Government.  Beside 
the  church  building  and  the  usual  buildings  for 
school  purposes,  there  is  a Home  for  poor  and 
blind  women,  mostly  widows,  who  are  taught  to 
read  and  to  work  toward  their  support.  There 
is  also  a class  for  blind  boys  who  are  being  trained 
for  useful  lives.  Our  special  attention,  however, 
is  drawn  to  the  Industrial  School.  It  bears  the 
name  of  Sir  D.  M.  Petit  of  Bombay,  a generous 
Parsi  donor,  but  in  reality,  the  institution  with 
its  buildings  for  instruction  in  cabinet  work 
and  rope  making,  and  its  plantation  of  aloes,  is 


17 


a memorial  of  Rev.  Richard  Winsor,  the  pioneer 
of  industrial  work  in  the  Mission. 

From  Sirur,  another  long  tanga  drive  of  forty 
miles  to  Poona,  where  we  will  take  the  train  to 
Wattar  on  the  Southern  Marathi  railway.  Our 
change  here,  is  into  a roomy  phaeton,  with  vicious 
and  capricious  ponies,  who  will,  however,  carry 
us  safely  the  eighteen  miles  to  Wai.  Just  before 
entering  this  stronghold  of  Brahmanism,  we  come 
to  the  mission  schoolhouse,  which  also  serves  as  a 
chapel,  and  next  to  the  adjoining  parsonage. 
Since  they  know  we  are  to  pass  by  this  morning, 
the  pastor  and  his  family,  teachers  and  pupils, 


MISSION  BUNGALOW  OF  REV.  RICHARD  WINSOR. 

are  out  in  full  force,  giving  us  a cheer  of  welcome. 
We  can  only  smile  a dislocated  smile  in  return, 
for  our  ponies  are  made  to  gallop  up  the  steep  hill. 
We  drive  through  the  narrow  streets  full  of  people, 
returning  from  their  morning  ablutions  in  the 
sacred  Krishna  and  their  worship  in  the  many 
picturesque  temples  on  the  river’s  side.  Across 
the  river  we  come  again  upon  missionary  quarters 
with  their  bungalows,  boarding  homes,  and  a 
home  for  teachers.  Here  we  are  welcomed  by 
Mrs.  Sibley  and  Miss  Gordon.  Mrs.  Sibley  has 
had  charge  of  the  evangelistic  work,  in  town  and 
district,  since  1888,  when  Rev.  J.  W.  Sibley  was 
called  to  his  reward.  She  has  been  ably  seconded 
by  Miss  Gordon,  who  has  had  charge  of  the 

18 


educational  department.  We  find  now  three 
mission  schools  for  high  caste  girls,  under  her 
care.  Within  two  years  Rev.  T.  S.  Lee  and  Mrs. 
Lee  have  come  to  the  greatly  needed  help. 
Within  a year,  we  hope  that  the  Widow's  Home, 
removed  from  Bombay,  will  have  a building  of  its 
<own,  the  money  being  already  provided  by  the 
W.  B.  M.  I.  The  Wai  district  has  a population 
of  98,000,  the  city  14,000.  There  are  already  120 
villages  visited,  one  church,  ten  schools,  and 
twenty-nine  agents. 

Hastening  on,  we  have  a charming  drive  to 
Satara,  twenty-two  miles  distant,  a city  of  22,000 
inhabitants.  The  surrounding  district  has  700 
villages,  with  a population  of  500,000.  Satara  is 
beautiful  for  situation  and  teeming  with  oppor- 
tunities for  extended  mission  work, — a bigoted 
city,  but  more  approachable  villages.  Here, 
again,  we  find  a church,  a dispensary,  a com- 
modious station,  schoolhouse,  and  boarding 
quarters  for  boys  and  girls. 

Before  we  go  any  further  we  must  visit  Rev. 
Henry  J.  Bruce  and  Mrs.  Bruce,  who  are  the 
senior  missionaries,  and  also  visit  his  press.  The 
press  has  been  at  work  for  thirty  years  and  has 
sent  out  for  gratuitous  distribution  millions  of 
leaflets  and  scripture  verse  cards.  Each  one 
containing,  as  Mr.  Bruce  tells  us,  “enough  of  the 
plain  gospel  to  save  a man  if  he  would  only  accept 
it  and  act  accordingly."  The  church  a*d  station 
schools  are  under  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bruce.  The  vil- 
lage work  and  the  Hindu  schools  in  and  out  of  the 
city,  are  under  Rev.  Henry  Fairbank  and  Mrs. 
Fairbank,  both  I.  O.  's.  They  have  lately  been 
sent  to  work  in  this  needy  and  immense  district, 
where  there  are  now  only  two  churches  and  seven 
schools.  The  evangelistic  work  is  being  carried 
on  by  seventeen  preachers  and  Bible  women. 
The  field  is  great  and  the  laborers  few  indeed! 
Dr.  Louise  Grieve  is  the  medical  representative 
of  the  Mission.  She  has  treated  4,478  cases  the 
past  year,  more  than  two-thirds  of  them  being 
Hindus.  A proper  dispensary  and  a hospital  ward 
for  women  seems  an  imperative  need. 

Again,  on  our  journeyings  by  train,  we  come, 
this  time,  in  about  ten  hours  to  Sholapur,  a city 
of  74,500,  next  in  size  to  Bombay  of  the  cities 
within  the  Marathi  Mission's  limit.  The  whole 
district  has  a population  of  700,000,  with  740 


19 


towns  and  villages.  A fairly  good  field  for  two 
men  to  superintend!  There  are  eight  churches, 
thirty-six  schools,  with  about  1,200  pupils.  The 
evangelistic  department  in  all  its  branches  is 
almost  entirely  in  charge  of  Rev.  L.  S.  Gates  and 
Mrs.  Gates,  as  well  as  the  schools  for  Hindu 
children  in  and  out  of  the  city.  Rev.  Wm. 
Hazen  and  Mrs.  Hazen  have  oversight  of  the 
Anglo-Vernacular  and  primary  schools  for  the 
Christian  boys,  their  boarding  home,  and  the 
industrial  department  connected  with  the  school. 
The  industries  carried  on  are  those  of  carpentering 
and  weaving  of  cloth,  which  have  been  most 
successful  in  their  products  of  workmen  and 

goods. 

The  girls,  also, 
have  an  industrial 
department,  in 
which  they  weave 
cloth,  and  a very 
successful  kinder- 
garten. Connect- 
ed with  the  Mis- 
sion, although  not 
supported  by  it 
nor  under  its  con- 
trol, is  a leper 
asylum,  orphan- 
age, dispensary, 
and  some  common 
schools,  all  super- 
intended by  Dr. 
P.  B.  Keskar,  an- 
other independent 
Indian  worker. 

We  have  now  visited  all  the  stations,  seen  build- 
ings by  the  score,  churches,  dispensaries,  work- 
shops, schoolhouses,  and  homes.  We  have  met 
pastors  and  teachers,  catechists,  and  Bible  women, 
and  seen  children  without  number  in  school  or  at 
work.  We  are  astonished  that  all  we  have  seen 
is  supervised  by  so  small  a band  of  missionaries, 
and  yet  we  have  not  begun  to  follow  them  through 
all  the  avenues  by  which  their  influence  goes  out. 
Let  us  give  you  a glimpse  of  the  daily  service, 
which  is  not  seen  in  the  buildings: 

The  army  of  agents  in  towns  and  villages  re- 
quire training,  not  only  in  preparatory  schools  and 
institutions,  but  by  personal  contact.  When 


REV.  H.  G.  BISSEI/L. 


20 


these  are  sent  ouLto  their  work  there  is  need  of 
constant  communication  between  them  and  the 
missionary.  To  supervise,  advise,  instruct,  and 
encourage,  the  latter  must  often  make  long  trips 
to  far-off  villages.  Then  hours  of  correspondence, 
and  in  the  home  must  be  devoted  to  the  patient 
hearing,  and  meeting,  as  far  as  possible,  the  tem- 
poral and  spiritual  need  of  these  same  preachers, 
teachers,  and  Bible  women. 

There  are  hours,  too,  and  some  of  these  far  into 
the  night,  to  give  to  those  who  “would  see  Jesus. ” 
Some  are  Nicodemuses,  some  who  want  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  but  are  not  ready  for  any- 
thing further.  There  are  some  who  take  the  time 
of  the  weary  missionary  in  mere  discussion  and 
cavil.  Then,  as  for  bodily  ailments,  complaints, 
and  quarrels  which  must  be  attended  to,  as  cups 
of  cold  water  for  Christ's  sake,  they  are  legion. 
Think,  also,  of  the  hours  that  the  pen  must  be 
used  in  reflex  influence.  Letters  to  the  A.  B. 
C.  F.  M.,  W.  B.  M.,  of  W.  B.  M.  I.  officials;  and 
to  a multitude  of  other  devoted  donors  who  have 
saved  the  widow  and  the  orphan  from  sin  and 
misery. 

What  is  true  of  the  part  the  Marathi  Mission 
missionaries  play  in  the  silent  undermining  of 
heathenism,  is  true  of  the  Madura  and  Ceylon 
missionaries  and  need  not  be  repeated,  but  to 
learn  the  story  here,  thinking  that  all  that  is 
necessary  has  been  said  of  the  grand  forces  at 
work,  would  be  to  make  the  mistake  of  the 
ignorant  and  indifferent. 

Our  army  of  conquest  must  have  its  officers, 
and  it  has  over  five  hundred  of  them.  Its 
colonels,  drill-majors,  and  captains,  are  the  leaders 
and  pastors,  teachers  and  preachers.  We  have 
met  some  of  them  and  recognized  their  power  as 
organizers,  preachers,  doctors,  and  poets.  Others 
have  impressed  us  by  their  patient  and  faithful 
service.  And  what  shall  we  say  of  the  rank  and 
file — thirteen  regiments,  each  a thousand  strong, 
which  we  find  in  battalions,  squads,  or  as  solitary 
sentinels,  up  and  down  the  land  in  three  hundred 
and  thirty-eight  outposts?  Many  of  these  are  still 
recruits  and  cadets,  learning  to  put  on  the  armor 
of  God.  Many  serve  by  the  wonderful  transfor- 
mation of  their  lives,  living  cleanly  lives  and  up- 
holding the  cross  in  the  midst  of  their  heathen 
neighbors.  Do  you  see  in  all  the  darkness,  in 


21 


city  streets,  village  roads,  and  across  the  fields 
tiny  little  lights  twinkling  in  every  direction? 
These  are  the  scouts,  4,300  of  them — all  Hindus. 
Children  of  every  caste,  hurrying  home  from 
Sunday  school  with,  maybe,  only  a spark,  but  a 
spark  from  the  Living  Fire,  or  a tiny  burning 
wick  which  shall  light  father  or  mother  out  of  the 
bondage  of  darkness  into  the  light  and  liberty, 
and  conquering  power  of  the  Christian  Host.  As 
one  of  the  missionaries  has  told  us,  village  schools, 
as  evangelistic  agencies,  can  never  be  over- 
estimated. We  can  safely  number  them  in  the 
sum  total  of  the  army. 


The  Madura  Mission. 

We  have  come  more  than  a thousand'  miles 
from  the  Marathi  Mission,  to  this  city  of  Madura, 
the  center  of  the  Madura  Mission  and  its  Con- 
gregationalist  work. 

The  Madura  Mission  has  one  great  advantage 
over  the  Marathi  Mission  in  the  compactness  of 
the  district  which  it  occupies.  One  can  say  of  it  : 

It  is  so  long  and  so  wide,  and  that  throughout  its 
length  and  breadth  it  is  the  exclusive  missionary 
field  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  In  the  Marathi  mis- 
sion the  districts  are  scattered,  some  of  them 
being  more  than  a hundred  miles  from  any  of  the 
others.  They  share  the  land  also  with  other 
missions,  making  the  strain  of  mission  comity, 
at  times,  a hindrance.  In  the  Madura  Mission, 
the  missionaries  have  virtually  the  field  to  them- 
selves. Before  we  look  about  to  see  things  as 
they  are,  let  us  question  how  they  came  to  be. 

It  seems  that  the  Ceylon  Mission,  already 
started,  wished  to  enlarge  its  borders,  and  sent 
men  to  spy  out  the  neighboring  continent.  Find- 
ing it  a goodly  land,  Messrs.  Hoisington  and  Todd 
were,  in  1834,  sent  over  to  open  a station.  They 
were  at  first  received  with  contempt  or  indiffer- 
ence by  the  influential  Hindus,  but  when  they 
saw  that  in  marked  contrast  with  the  reception 
in  Bombay,  English  gentlemen  received  these  . 
missionaries  with  courtesy,  they  became  afraid  of  f 
their  influence  and  began  to  hate  and  oppose  them. 

The  next  year,  Dr.  Poor  came  to  open  schools, 
and  by  his  tact  and  ability,  laid  the  foundation  of 
the  present  successful  educational  system.  Mr, 


22 


Lawrence  came  over  the  same  year,  and  in  his 
evangelistic  tours  virtually  defined  the  borders  of 
the  present  mission.  In  1837  six  missionaries 
and  their  wives  largely  reinforced  the  workers 
and  began  work,  not  only  in  Madura  city,  but  in 
the  surrounding  district.  Dr.  Tracy  seized  upon 
Pasumalai  as  a strategic  point  for  training  future 
teachers  and  pastors,  He  and  his  wife  were  per- 
mitted over  forty  years  of  labor,  and  were  able  to 
hand  over  to  their  successors  a theological  semi- 
nary and  many  village  schools.  Dr.  G.  T.  Wash- 


burn developed  the  seminary  to  its  present  effi- 
ciency, and  added  normal,  industrial,  and  col- 
legiate departments.  Among  those  who  have 
passed  on  to  higher  service,  the  names  of  Dr. 
Steele  and  Dr.  Chester  are  cherished  in  memory, 
by  Hindus  and  Christians  alike,  for  their  skill  and 
sympathy  in  medical  service.  The  names  of  Mr. 
Capron  and  Mr.  Noyes  are  held  in  reverent 
memory  for  their  work  in  establishing  churches 
and  in  strengthening  the  Christian  community, 
Mrs.  Noyes  and  Mrs.  Capron  for  their  extended 
work  among  women  and  girls.  The  latter  is  still 
living,  and  is  one  of  those  devoted  women  who 
23 


have  given  their  lives  in,  and  out  of  India,  for  the 
women  of  that  country. 

What  Christ  has  wrought  through  the  many 
who  could  give  but  few  years  of  service,  being  re- 
moved from  the  field  of  their  chosen  labor  by  ill- 
ness or  death,  who  can  say?  He  knows  them  all 
by  name  and  “their  works  do  follow  them.’, 
Madura  is  a city  of  about  87,500,  and  is  blatant- 
ly a Hindu  city.  Here  is  Hinduism,  pure  and 
simple.  Its  great  temples  with  their  massive  and 
decorated  towers,  stand  in  open  defiance  of  the 
Almighty.  Its  shrines  and  priests,  and  above  all 
the  men,  women,  and  even  children,  who  go 
thronging  in  and  out  the  huge  temple  gates,  are 

all  in  direct  contrast 
to  the  simple  and  per- 
fect purity  and  love 
of  the  Holy  and  Cru- 
cified One. 

Rev.  and  Mrs.  John 
S.  Chandler  are  on 
furlough , but  Rev.  D. 
S.  Herrick  and  Mrs. 
Herrick  will  give  us  a 
welcome  and  an  escort  • 
to  see  this  well- 
ordered  mission. 

Beside  the  care  of 
the  churches  and  large 
s u p e r i n t endence  of 
the  evangelistic  work 
in  the  city  in  the  ab- 
sence of  Mr.  Chandler,  Mr.  Herrick  is  connected 
with  the  college  department,  which  is  an  out- 
come of  the  High  School.  But  two  years  of 
the  collegiate  course  are  now  offered  to  students, 
for  the  want,  as  usual,  of  money  and  men.  We 
find  the  majority  of  the  students  are  Hindus, 
having  all  the  privileges,  educational  and  spiritual, 
with  the  Christians.  Rev.  W.  W.  Wallace  is  the 
principal  of  the  college,  the  president,  Mr. 
Zumbro,  being  on  furlough,  which,  in  its  evan- 
gelizing opportunity,  brings  far  more  responsibi- 
lity than  a purely  educational  institution  can 
offer.  Mr.  Wallace  is  also  the  treasurer  of  the 
Mission.  Only  those  who  have  had  experience 
of  mission  finances  can  realize  what  a drain  this 
makes  on  the  judgment  and  patience  of  the 
treasurer,  to  say  nothing  of  his  time. 


REV.  J.  S.  CHANDLER. 


24 


Closely  connected  with  this  college  are  its 
feeders,  the  High  Schools  for  boys  and  girls.  Mr. 
Wallace  superintends  the  school  for  the  boys, 
Miss  Noyes,  that  of  the  girls.  These  High  Schools, 
with  their  preparatory  classes,  are  educating  752 
boys  and  girls.  The  girls  occupy  the  fine  build- 
ing, called  Capron  Hall,  a memorial  of  her  who 
still  lives.  The  Christian  life  and  activity  of  this 
school  is  seen  in  its  large  Sunday  school;  its  three 
branches  of  Christian  Endeavor  Society;  its  bene- 
volences and  its  personal  work  for  Hindu  children. 

A Normal  department  has  lately  been  added  to 
the  educational  force  in  the  city  and  has  sent  out 
thirty-eight  teachers  equipped  for  work,  young 
women  as  well  as  young  men. 

While  the  young  people  of  the  Christian  com- 
munity are  so  well  cared  for,  the  Hindu  children 
are  by  no  means  neglected.  We  find  682  Hindu 
boys  in  the  village  and  station  primary  schools, 
and  400  Hindu  girls  attending  four  schools  in 
different  parts  of  the  city.  Mrs.  Herrick  has 
charge  of  these  most  interesting  schools  for  girls, 
and  despite  all  the  other  duties  which  come  to 
her,  she  would  most  enthusiastically  go  with  us 
to  visit  all  the  four,  if  only  we  had  the  time. 
The  seed  sown  in  the  hearts  of  Hindu  girls  bears 
fruit.  Although  few  of  them  may  come  out 
as  Christians,  yet  they  carry  home  the  Gospel 
and  the  mothers  are  quickened  in  conscience 
and  softened  in  heart.  And  they,  themselves, 
when  they  have  homes  of  their  own,  make  ever 
welcome  the  missionary  and  the  Bible  woman. 
The  Hereafter  will  prove  that  angels  do  the  reap- 
ing, which  is  not  always  permitted  workers 
below  to  do. 

From  the  schools,  we  turn  to  the  Lucy  Perry 
Noble  Bible  Training  School  of  which  Miss  Swift 
has  long  been  the  head.  No  nobler  work  is  done 
than  the  training  of  women  to  become  the  bearers 
of  the  Good  News  of  Salvation  to  the  thousands  of 
their  own  country  women,  and  this  institution 
well  fulfils  its  mission.  The  young  women  receive 
a thorough  training  in  their  course  and  have  also 
the  privilege  of  practical  work;  that  of  the  usual 
Bible  women's  work;  preaching  in  the  streets  and 
homes  of  villages,  assisting  in  Sunday  schools, 
children's  meetings,  and  sewing  classes. 

Not  far  from  this  building  is  the  Women's 
Hospital  and  dispensary.  The  total  number  of 


25 


treatments  given  for  last  year  were  39,789,  all 
treated  by  one  lady,  Dr.  Parker!  There  is  a good 
staff  of  assistants,  some  of  whom,  however,  are 
still  under  training.  Of  the  16,000  patients, 
more  than  a third  were  Hindu  women.  And 
what  is  more  wonderful,  820  were  Mohammedan 
women.  Dr.  Parker’s  duties  do  not  end  with  the 
hospital  and  dispensary,  for  she  often  joins  the 
missionaries  in  their  itineracies,  and  so  reaches 
cases  of  dire  need  which  cannot  be  brought  to 
Madura  for  treatment. 

Another  triumph  of  Christianity  is  this  fine  k 
building  under  the  care  of  Dr.  Van  Allen.  Many 


MISSION  HOSPITAL  FOR  MEN,  MADURA, 

of  you  have  met  the  genial  doctor  and  all  have 
heard  of  this  famous  hospital  built  entirely  by 
gifts  from  Hindus.  This  hospital,  with  the  dis- 
pensary attached,  has  treated  over  22,000  cases 
the  past  year.  Here,  as  in  all  hospitals  and  dis- 
pensaries under  mission  control,  the  Gospel  is 
preached  that  the  sick  and  suffering,  maimed  and 
dying,  may  know  that  now,  as  of  old,  the  Great 
Healer  is  the  one  physician  in  every  case. 

We  cannot  leave  Madura  without  visiting  its 
four  churches,  with  an  aggregate  average  popula- 
tion of  over  1,300.  Three  of  these  are  now  en- 
entirely  self  supporting, — good  congregational 
churches,  with  earnest  Indian  pastors.  These,  in 
common  with  other  station  churches  in  the 


Madura  Mission,  have  village**  churches  or  con- 
gregations under  their  individual  care.  The 
reports  from  some  of  these  are  most  encouraging. 
In  one  village,  fifty  persons  have  this  year  come 
over  in  a body  to  Christianity.  Another  small 
church  has  given  Rs.  400 — about  $133 — toward 
a new  church  building. 

We  have  drawn  largely  upon  the  time  and 
hospitality  of  the  busy  missionaries  by  our  visit; 
calling  them  aside  from  classes,  patients,  and 
desks  to  meet  our  inquiries  and  satisfy  our  desire 
to  see  for  ourselves,  but  we  have  seen  no  im- 
patience, so  happy  are  they  to  share  with  us  the 
joy  and  trial  of  accomplishment. 

A short  and  pleas- 
ant drive  from  Madu- 
ra brings  us  to  Pasu- 
malai,  the  center  of 
educational  activities. 

It  is  rp  re  -eminently 
the  training  center. 

Here,  besides  the  ele- 
mentary  and  High 
Schools,  there  is  a 
Normal  School,  In- 
dustrial departments, 
and  the  Theological 
Seminary.  Of  the  six 
hundred  members  of 
the  Christian  commu- 
nity in  this  town,  five 
hundred  are  pupils  in 
these  various  institutions.  Rev.  J.  X.  Miller  and 
Mrs.  Miller  have  the  charge  of  the  preparatory  and 
training  schools  which  include  Normal  and  Indus- 
trial departments.  Rev.  Dr.  J.  P.  Jones,  the  present 
mission  secretary,  has  in  charge  the  Theological 
Seminary  and  the  Mission  Press.  He,  with  Mrs. 
Jones,  has  also  the  supervision  of  the  Christian 
community  and  the  evangelical  work.  The 
seminary  has  had  on  its  rolls,  the  past  year, 
twenty-seven  men  and  seventeen  women.  This 
mission  believes  in  trained  Bible  women.  The 
work  in  this  institution  means  sermonizing,  ser- 
mon criticism,  and  vocal  training,  besides  the 
more  exacting  class  work.  Every  Wednesday 
afternoon  they  go  out  in  bands  for  village  preach- 
ing. The  press,  another  of  Dr.  Jones’  specialties, 
has  printed  over  one  and  a half  million  pages,  the 


REV.  J.  P.  JONES,  D.D. 


27 


past  year,  66,903  books  and  tracts,  beside  local 
job  work.  Seven  boys  are  in  training  for  com- 
positors and  bookbinders.  Dr.  Jones  is  also 
editor  of  two  mission  periodicals,  The  True  News, 
an  Anglo-Tamil  semi-monthly,  and  The  Joyful 
News , a Tamil  monthly.  The  latter  is  published 
in  missionary  and  Christian  Endeavor  interests. 
Dr.  Jones  is  well  known  to  the  readers  of  the 
Congregationalist,  from  his  many  able  articles  that 
appear  on  its  pages.  While  he  is  teacher,  super- 
intendent, and  editor,  yet  he  keeps  himself  alive 
to  all  Indian  interests,  and  his  pen  seems  ever 
ready  to  convey  his  thoughts  to  others.  Follow- 
ing the  influences  which  surround  a boy  from  a 
primary  school  through  the  Theological  Seminary, 
we  can  easily  account  for  the  efficiency  of  the 
Madura  districts. 

There  are  eight  stations  of  the  Madura  Mission 
in  which  the  missionaries  live,  and  these  are  sur- 
rounded by  villages  in  which  also  work  is  carried 
on.  The  whole  district  has  530  villages  in  which 
Christians  live. 

At  Manumadura,  the  southernmost  station,  we 
find  Rev.  E.  P.  Holton  and  Rev.  C.  S.  Vaughan 
with  their  wives.  This  station  was  opened  in 
1864  and  has  two  churches,  thirteen  schools,  and  a 
native  agency  of  fifty-two  in  a population  of 
380,000.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Holton  have  each,  in  their 
own  sphere,  the  charge  of  the  churches,  the  schools 
and  the  dispensary.  This  last  has  had  5,387  cases 
to  treat.  They  report  great  satisfaction  in  the 
itineracies  and  in  the  condition  of  the  village 
schools  and  congregations.  Here,  besides  the 
station  school,  we  find  a flourishing  industrial  in- 
stitution under  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Vaughan.  This,  in 
all  its  departments  of  carpentry,  blacksmithing, 
farming,  lace  making,  and  sewingr  is  doing  great 
things  for  the  Christian  boys  and  girls.  Many  of 
these  are  in  the  boarding  and  elementary  schools 
of  the  station  but  spend  a part  of  their  time  in 
manual  training.  Only  a lack  of  capital  for  a 
foundation,  prevents  this  institution  from  be- 
coming self-supporting 

It  will  be  difficult  to  drive  across  country  to 
Aruppukottai,  so  we  must  return  to  Madura  and 
then  turn  south  again  to  visit  this  interesting 
station  under  Rev.  J.  C.  and  Mrs.  Perkins.  It 
was  opened  in  1851  and  has  seven  churches  in  the 
town  itself  and  in  the  villages,  of  which  there  are 


126  where  Christians  live.  There  are  thirty-nine 
schools  with  forty-seven  teachers.  We  find  two 
boarding  departments  under  Miss  Quickenden’s 
care  and  also  a fine  school  of  seventy  bright, 
Hindu  girls.  Thus,  while  education  is  not 
neglected,  we  would  call  this  pre-eminently  an 
evangelizing  station.  There  are  fift}^-seven  pas- 
tors, catechists,  and  Bible  women,  ministering  to 
eighty-nine  congregations,  with  an  average  Sab- 
bath attendance  of  2,464.  These  statistics  are 
but  the  hands  on  the  face  of  a clock  to  indicate 
the  daily  and  hourly  work  that  is  being  done. 
Much  of  it  is  out  of  sight  of  man  but  all  recorded  in 
the  Book  of  Life. 


NATIVE  PASTORS  EDUCATED  AT  PASUMALAI. 


Tirumangalam,  near  and  west  of  Madura,  was 
one  of  the  first  stations  to  be  opened.  In  a popu- 
lation of  285,000,  we  find  Rev.  H.  C.  and  Mrs. 
Hazen  at  work.  They  have  fifty-two  congrega- 
tions to  superintend,  including  four  organized 
churches  with  Indian  pastors.  In  the  town  itself 
there  is  a boarding  school  for  boys,  and  scattered 
about  in  villages,  there  are  twenty-four  other 
schools  to  superintend.  Christians  are  living  in 
sixty-three  villages,  and  many  of  these  by  their 
work  among  their  neighbors  should  be  enrolled 
among  the  active  agencies  in  the  spreading  of  the 
Gospel. 

We  must  now  hasten  away  to  Dindigul,  nearly 


29 


north  of  Madura  and  on  the  railway  line.  This 
was  the  second  station  to  be  occupied,  probably  by 
Dr.  Poor  in  1835,  for  schools  seem  to  flourish  here. 
Rev.  F.  E.  Jeffery  and  Mrs.  Jeffery  must  have 
their  hands  full,  for  they  have  not  only  Dindigul 
but  Battalagundu  station  to  superintend.  Din- 
digul has  a boarding  school,  a station  day  school, 
two  schools  for  Hindu  girls,  and  twenty  village 
schools.  In  its  population,  of  town  and  district, 
of  320,000,  there  are  five  organized  churches 
among  the  forty  congregations.  In  the  Batta- 
lagundu district  of  146,000,  there  are  also  five 
churches  among  its  nineteen  congregations.  In 
the  town  there  is  a boarding  school  and  the  usual 
station  and  village  schools.  We  know  that  in 
the  stress  and  distraction  of  this  double  care,  the 
missionaries  would  certainly  break  down  if  it  were 
not  for  the  102  faithful  and  earnest  men  and 
women  who,  although  laboring  under  their 
superintendence,  are  yet  able  to  hold  up  their 
hands  as  Hur  of  old. 

A missionary  and  his  wife  are  obliged  to  go 
home  on  furlough,  because  they  are  broken  down 
in  health,  or  to  avoid  breaking  down.  The 
neighboring  missionary  family  already  carrying 
burdens  greater  than  they  can  bear,  must  in  some 
way  step  into  the  gap  and  be  responsible  in 
financial  and  all  other  ways  for  two  stations  in- 
stead of  one.  This  is  a simple  statement.  Would 
to  God  that  the  churches  and  their  young  people, 
especially,  could  see  the  cruelty  of  it! — to  the 
missionaries  and  to  the  work. 

Leaving  our  appeals  for  another  time,  we  are 
now  on  our  way  to  Periakulam,  where  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Tracy  will  welcome  us  and  tell  us  something 
that  is  being  done  by  the  fifty  native  workers  in 
their  care.  In  their  population  of  320,000,  they 
have  seven  churches  scattered  about  the  fifty 
nine  villages  where  Christians  live.  One  of  the 
churches  is  at  Kodikanal,  the  sanatorium  of 
the  Madura  Mission.  The  Palani  Hills  begin  an 
abrupt  ride  at  Periakulam  and  a jolting  ride  up 
8,000  feet,  in  a chair  or  dooly,  brings  one  to  an 
exquisite  hollow  in  the  mountain  whose  peak 
rises  still  1,000  feet  higher.  A lovely  lake,  dense 
verdure,  a profusion  of  ferns  and  flowers,  grand 
views  in  every  direction,  constitute  this  an  ideal 
resting  place,  and  shelter  from  the  heat.  Mis- 
sionaries of  other  Boards  are  found  here,  also,  in 


30 


increasing  numbers.  The  annual  conference, 
held  here  for  the  deepening  of  the  spiritual  life, 
brings  together  in  unity  and  fellowship,  workers 
of  every  denomination.  Dr.  Tracy  has  the  care, 
secular  and  parochial,  of  this  station,  and,  of 
course,  the  usual  schools  and  congregations  through 
his  district. 

Down  the  mountain  again,  whirled  around  cor- 
ners, poised  in  midair  over  frightful  precipices, 
we  are  after  all,  safely  at  the  bottom,  and  packed 
off  in  a bullock  bandy  for  a long  journey  to  Palani, 
the  most  northern  station.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  El  wood 
seem  far  away  from  the  others,  but  evidently  they 
have  too  much  to  do, 
to  be  often  lonely. 

This  is,  next  to  Manu- 
madura,  the  newest 
station  to  be  opened, 
in  1862.  It  has  a sta- 
tion church  and  the 
usual  station  and  vil- 
lage schools.  In  its 
population  of  215,000 
there  are  sixteen  con- 
gregations to  be  cared 
for.  These  are  not 
provided  with  pastors 
as  in  the  organized 
churches  and  require, 
consequently,  a great- 
er supervision  by  the 
missionary.  Preaching  must  be  kept  up  regularly 
on  Sunday  if  possible,  and  so  the  missionary  must 
often,  week  after  week,  fill  two  or  three  little 
school  pulpits  in  a day. 

One  more  station  to  visit,  and  this  one,  Melur, 
is  nearer  to  Madura  than  many  of  the  others,  but 
has  been  just  out  of  our  circuit.  Rev.  J.  J.  Ban- 
ninga  and  Mrs.  Banninga  are  holding  the  fort 
here.  They  have  500  villages  to  visit  in  a popu- 
lation of  340,000;  225  of  these  were  visited  last 
year  and  had  the  gospel  preached  to  them.  Of 
course,  Melur  has  its  boarding  school  and  its  day 
schools.  In  one  of  the  Hindu  girls’  school  there 
is  an  enthusiastic  Christian  Endeavor  Society. 
In  fact,  there  are  many  C.  E.  societies  in  thejHindu 
schools  scattered  throughout  the  mission.  In  the 
Christian  and  Hindu  schools  taken  together, 
there  are  175  societies,  with  3,600  members,  a 


31 


promise  of  great  things  for  the  future.  As  we 
visit  the  village  schools  and  are  amused  or  in- 
terested in  the  lively  pupils,  we  have  this  to  take 
to  heart:  from  these  schools  come  the  thousands 
of  Christian  men  and  women,  and  out  of  the 
higher  schools  that  they  may  attend,  come  the 
six  hundred  and  twelve  agents  of  the  mission. 
The  village  school  is  an  institution  that  the 
Congregational  churches  must  cherish. 

One  is  greatly  impressed  with  two  things  in 
connection  with  this  mission.  First,  the  number 
and  thoroughness  of  its  itineracies.  Not  only  do 
the  missionaries  train  Catechists  and  Bible  women 
but  many  spend  the  greater  part  of  their  time  in 
touring  themselves.  And  this  is  not  all,  for  such 
a work  means  constant  communication  with  the 
agents  in  reference  to  their  temporal  needs  as  well 
as  their  spiritual  equipment.  Second,  in  con- 
nection with  the  itineracies  there  is  the  distribu- 
tion of  Bibles,  Gospel  portions,  tracts,  and  books. 
Of  the  scriptures  in  some  form,  3111  were  sold  or 
given  away  the  past  year.  And  of  tracts,  74,761 
were  distributed.  Claiming  the  promise:  “My 
word  shall  not  return  to  me  void/’  we  rejoice  in 
the  great  work  that  these  silent  messengers  are 
accomplishing. 

In  leaving  this  mission,  we  feel  that  half  has  not 
been  seen  nor  heard  of  the  various  departments 
under  its  control.  We  wish  all  our  friends  could 
have  seen  a copy  of  the  Madura  Mission  Report  , 
compiled  by  Mr.  Banninga.  It  would  have  been 
profitable  and  interesting  reading.  There  are 
not,  however,  copies  enough  to  furnish  the  gen- 
eral public. 

Ceylon  Mission* 

Unless  the  boats  are  greatly  improved  in  these 
later  days,  we  must  summon  our  courage  for  a 
protracted  toss,  or  our  patience  for  a protracted 
calm,  in  crossing  the  straits  to  Ceylon,  the  last 
mission  on  our  program  and  the  smallest. 

Jaffna,  in  the  northern  part  of  Ceylon,  was  ap- 
proved as  a mission  station  by  Samuel  Newell 
as  early  as  1814,  for  while  he  was  awaiting  per- 
mission to  enter  Bombay,  he  was  skirting  the 
coast  of  India.  In  1816,  Messrs.  Richards,  Meigs, 
and  Poor,  with  their  wives,  began  their  work 
on  this  little  peninsula.  They  sent  back  so 


32 


good  a report  of  the  land  and  its  needs,  that 
in  1820,  they  were  joined  by  Messrs  Spaulding, 
Winslow,  Woodman,  and  Sc  udder,  with  their 
wives.  By  this  time,  the  English  government 
began  to  be  alarmed  at  the  American  innova- 
tion and  forbad  others  to  enter.  This  restric- 
tion was  removed  in  1832.  As  elsewhere, 
the  foundations  of  mission  work  were  laid  in 
schools.  At  first,  in  small  village  schools  but  as 
early  as  1826,  the  Batticotta  Seminary  and  the 
Oodooville  Female  Boarding  School  were  started 
in  faith  and  hope.  The  pioneers  of  this  mission 


had  great  advantages.  Not  only  was  the  govern- 
ment favorable  to  their  entrance,  but  it  gave 
them  permission  to  repair  and  occupy  the  ruined 
churches  and  parsonages,  left  by  the  Protestant 
Dutch  when  they  gave  over  Ceylon  to  the  Eng- 
lish. The  people,  too,  were  not  opposed  to 
Christianity,  having  been  normal  Christians  under 
the  Dutch  rule  of  more  than  a hundred  years.  It 
was  only  twenty  years  before  the  first  American 
missionaries  arrived  that  England  had  taken  pos- 
session of  Ceylon  and  proclaimed  neutrality  in 
religion.  The  missionaries  appreciated  their  ex- 
ceptional advantages  and  pressed  their  work  with 
vigor.  They  began  among  the  high  castes,  who 
were  glad  to  give  their  children  the  opportunities 


33 


of  education.  Among  those  who  were  permitted 
to  labor  long  and  fruitfully,  we  recall  the  names 
of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Spaulding,  who  gave  fifty-three  and 
fifty-five  years  of  active  service  in  this  field. 
Messrs.  Meigs,  Poor,  and  Winslow  had  also  many 
years  of  successful  work.  Prominent  among  the 
workers  we  recall  the  names  of  the  Misses  Mary 
and  Margaret  Leitch,  who  spent  some  eight  years 
in  this  field,  and  who,  since  their  release,  by  their 
labors  both  in  England  and  the  United  States 
have  made  possible  the  establishment  and  endow- 
ment of  the  Medical  Work  at  Inuvil.  We  remem- 
ber also  the  name  of  Miss  Agnew,  who  gave  forty 
years  to  her  beloved  Oodooville  school,  and 
trained  in  it  for  Christ  and  the  church,  more  than 
1,000  girls,  mostly  from  heathen  homes.  The 
medical  work  was  started  by  Dr.  Scudder,  and 
medical  training  of  students  in  1833  by  Drs. 
Ward  and  Green.  Among  the  later  missionaries 
who  have  finished  their  work  on  earth,  we  recall 
Rev.  Thomas  S.  Smith. 

The  first  convert  of  the  American  Board  from 
heathenism  was  a Tamil  of  Jaffna,  and  the  first 
church  organized  that  of  Batticotta,  in  1817. 
Before  our  other  two  missions  had  scarcely  made 
a foothold  in  the  country,  they  hoped  to  possess, 
this  mission  had  four  organized  churches.  With 
its  bright  beginnings,  its  strong  force  of  mis- 
sionaries, and  the  intelligent  and  educated  lay- 
laborers  by  whom  they  were  supported,  we  won- 
der that  Jaffna  is  not  wholly  conquered  for  Christ 
after  these  ninety  years  of  missionary  occupation. 
The  field  is  small,  containing  only  300,000  of 
population,  and  has  always  been  far  better 
manned  than  any  of  the  other  missions.  What 
has  been  the  hindrance?  It  is  the  old  trouble: 
While  the  husbandman  slept,  the  enemy  sowed 
tares.  As  soon  as  the  English  government  pro- 
claimed neutrality  and  the  people  could  worship 
as  they  pleased,  the  priest  of  Buddhism  and  of 
Brahmanism  took  quick  advantage  to  lure  the 
people  back  to  their  ancestral  faiths,  and  to  this 
day,  by  opposition  and  by  rival  educational  in- 
stitutions they  are  fighting  hard  to  defend  their 
land  from  the  conquest  of  Christ.  Therefore  it 
is  that  missionary  work  must  continue  and  be 
prosecuted  more  vigorously  than  ever.  And  for 
this  reason,  we  are  eager  to  see  what  is  now  being 
done  in  the  six  principal  stations  we  are  to  visit. 


34 


In  Vaddukkoddai  (formerly  spelled  Batticotta) 
we  see^  Jaffna  College,  an  outcome  of  the  old 
Batticotta  Seminary,  a fine  building  now  with 
its  one  hundred  young  men,  a college  that  affi- 
liates with  the  Madras  and  Calcutta  Univer- 
sities. Mr.  W.  E.  Hitchcock,  the  acting  principal, 
in  Mr.  Hasting’s  absence  on  furlough,  assures  us 
that  with  the  aid  of  endowments  raised  in  the 
United  States,  and  of  about  $8,000  raised  in 
Jaffna,  and  with  the  annual  fees  required,  the 
college  pays  its  own  expenses  without  help  from 
the  American  Board  or  of  the  government. 


GIRLS’  BOARDING  SCHOOL  AT  UDUVIL,  JAFFNA. 


Nevertheless,  it  is  a missionary  college  and  carried  ^ 
on  along  those  lines.  There  are  from  five  to 
seven  American  workers  in  this  institution,  in- 
cluding the  wives,  the  latter,  who  besides  having 
classes  in  the  college,  have  the  charge  of  Bible 
women  or  other  missionary  responsibilities.  In 
this  town  also,  we  find  a large  English  school 
entirely  under  Tamil  management  and  support, 
but  in  mission  sympathy.  Here  are  other  large 
schools,  also,  for  boys  and  girls,  that  receive 
liberal  government  grants  on  account  of  their 
efficiency.  There  are  sixteen  hundred  children 
in  these  schools  receiving  a Christian  education. 

At  Manepay,  Dr.  T.  B.  Scott  and  Mrs.  Scott 
are  superintending  the  work  which  is  largely 
educational,  and  yet  Dr.  Scott  has  the  charge  of 
the  large  mission  hospital  and  the  dispensary 


35 


connected  with  it,  making  medical  visits  in  the 
outlying  villages  as  well.  As  for  the  schools, 
there  is  a flourishing  boarding  school  for  girls, 
and  thirteen  primary  schools  for  boys  and  girls 
in  Manepay  and  the  neighboring  villages.  A 
large  English  school  is  also  here.  The  English 
schools  require  fees  from  their  students  and  with 
the  aid  of  government  grants,  pay  their  own 
expenses  with  no  help  from  the  Board. 

At  Tellippallai  we  find  a very  interesting  Nor- 
mal School  under  Rev.  J.  H.  Dickson.  It  has 
always  been  attended  by  high  caste  young  men 
who  have  been  trained  into  efficient  and  accept- 
able teachers.  This  last  year,  an  innovation  has 
brought  forth  an  unexpected  result.  After  a long 
and  careful  deliberation,  two  low  caste  boys  were 
admitted  into  the  school.  The  whole  school  de- 
camped, leaving  only  the  two  boys.  By  twos  and 
threes,  the  high  caste  boys  gradually  returned, 
but  persecution  was  fierce  and  came  to  a climax, 
in  burning  down  the  house  of  one  of  the  teachers. 
At  this  the  Government  interfered  and  forbade 
any  annoyance  to  the  school.  Now  there  are  two 
low  caste  boys  with  the  usual  attendance  of  the 
high  castes.  The  government  grant  has  been  the 
highest  on  record,  and  better  than  all,  the  re- 
ligious interest  has  deepened.  There  is  another 
large  English  school  and  twenty-eight  town  and 
village  schools  requiring  supervision.  Besides  all 
this,  Mr.  Dickson  has  superintendence  of  the 
mission  press,  which  last  year  had  printed  3,000,- 
000  pages  of  literature.  Among  its  publications 
is  the  Morning  Star , the  weekly  paper  of  the  Mis- 
sion, and  the  Sunday  school  lesson  notes,  beside 
many  books  and  tracts. 

At  Uduppiddi,  we  find  Rev.  G.  G.  Brown  and  Mrs. 
Brown  in  charge.  Here  is  a girls’  boarding  school, 
an  English  school,  and  forty-one  primary  schools, 
each  one  requiring  personal  supervision,  although 
the  teachers  are  usually  faithful  and  efficient. 
These  are  evangelical  centers,  not  only  on  ac- 
count of  the  daily  Gospel  teaching  but  because 
the  desk  of  the  teacher  is  the  pulpit  of  the  mis- 
sionary and  the  catechists. 

At  Uduvil,  we  must  first  visit  the  old  Oodooville 
Seminary  which  recalls  Miss  Agnew.  We  find  it 
now  in  a beautiful  new  building  with  Miss  How- 
land in  charge,  who  has  herself  given  over  thirty 
years  of  love  and  strength  to  this  same  school. 

3^ 


A good  proportion  of  this  large  number  of  bright 
girls  are  from  non-Christian  homes.  But  when 
they  leave  the  school,  very  few  of  them  will  go 
out  non-Christians.  In  all  the  years  of  its  past, 
this  Christian  home  has  been  sending  out  Christian 
young  women  to  fill  their  places  in  life  as  wives, 
mothers,  teachers  and  Bible  women.  We  can 
truly  believe  that  its  influence  in  Christianizing  the 
district  of  Jaffna,  is  as  great-,  if  not  greater,  than 
any  other  institution.  “As  the  mothers  so  are  the 
people.” 

Miss  Howland  has  but  lately  returned  from 
furlough.  In  her  absence,  Miss  Helen  Root,  the 
vice-principal,  was  obliged  to  take  entire  charge, 
while  she  continued 
her  superintendence 
of  the  Normal 
School  and  English 
School.  And  this 
was  not  all  of  her 
burden,  for  during 
the  enforced  absence 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 

Brown  from  Udup- 
piddi,  the  girls’ 
boarding  school 
there  was  trans- 
ferred for  a year  to 
Uduvil.  This  ne- 
cessitated great 
temporary  arrange- 
ments for  their  ac- 
commodation add- 
ing to  Miss  Root’s  care  and  anxiety.  All  of 
this,  of  course,  for  want  of  a lady  to  fill  up  the 
gap  made  by  furlough. 

At  Inuvil  we  see  a fine  hospital  building  and 
dispensary,  and  hear  that  the  evangelical  work 
has  been  most  abundant  and  successful.  But  the 
hospital  itself,  a center  of  Christian  work  and  in- 
fluence, is  closed,  as  the  doctor  in  charge,  Miss 
Isabel  Curr,  M.D.,  who  had  been  doing  double 
duty  by  superintending  the  General  Hospital  in 
Manepay  as  well  as  her  own,  in  the  absence  of 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Scott,  is  now  obliged  in  her  turn,  to 
take  a furlough.  There  is  no  one  to  fill  her  place, 
consequently  hundreds  must  suffer  and  many  die 
for  want  of  Christian  care. 

We  have  now  visited  the  principal  stations  and 


MISS  S.  R.  HOWLAND. 


37 


seen  schools,  primary,  normal,  and  English,! 
boarding  schools,  a fine  college,  dispensaries,! 
hospitals  and  churches.  But  above  all,  we  have 
seen  the  men  and  women  that  make  all  these  or- 
ganizations a living  force.  The  missionaries  are 
at  the  head,  but  there  is  a noble  band  of  pastors, 
principals,  and  teachers  from  the  Tamils  them- 
selves, men  and  women  pressing  Christ’s  claims 
by  their  example  as  well  as  their  labors.  A large 
body  of  trained  catechists  and  Bible  women  also 
are  silently  and  effectively  at  work.  The  Chris- 
tians themselves  have  a Home  Missionary  Society 
and  a Foreign  Missionary  Society.  There  are 
Christian  Endeavor  Societies.  The  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
is  flourishing.  Sewing  societies  and  girls’  clubs 
have  their  part  in  all  of  these  important  factors  in 
the  Christianizing  of  Jaffna. 

We  learned  some  time  ago  that,  as  far  as  figures 
went,  the  Ceylon  mission  was  better  manned  than 
any  other  mission.  It  has  certainly  more  mis- 
sionaries in  proportion  to  population  in  the  dis- 
tricts they  covet  for  Christ,  but  the  number  is 
none  the  less  pitiable.  Four  missionaries  and 
their  wives,  with  three  single  ladies,  beside  those 
connected  with  the  engrossing  work  of  the  college ! 
The  time  is  strategic.  Every  child  in  the  penin- 
sula should  be  taught  of  Christ.  There  are  136 
village  schools  with  over  10,000  pupils,  but  what 
are  these  among  the  over  100,000  children?  And 
even  these  few  village  schools  are  in  danger, 
many  of  them,  of  being  closed  for  want  of  the 
little  money  required  to  carry  them  on.  If  the 
children  are  not  for  Christ,  where  will  be  the  army 
that  is  to  go  forth  to  conquer? 

Now,  you,  who  have  made  this  flying  visit  with 
us  to  the  three  Congregational  missions  of  the 
American  Board,  what  are  you  going  to  do  about 
it?  You  have  seen  the  widow  cared  for;  thous- 
sands  of  orphans  given  a home  and  training  for 
useful  lives;  you  have  seen  and  heard  of  nearly 
five  hundred  primary  schools  with  over  20,000 
pupils;  you  have  had  great  interest  in  the  higher 
and  industrial  schools;  your  hearts  have  rejoiced 
over  the  training  schools  for  teachers,  catechists, 
and  Bible  women;  you  have  been  happy  to  take 
by  the  hand  many  an  earnest  pastor  and  teacher; 
you  have  rejoiced  to  call  the  leaders  your  friends, 
and  yomhave  looked  with  loving  wonder  on  the 
men  and  women  of  your  own  country  who  give. 


their  lives  and  strength  in  controlling  and  guiding 
and  caring  for  the  temporary,  as  well  as  spiritual 
need  of  this  vast  army. 

Now,  are  you  going  to  fold  your  arms  and  close 
your  purse  in  your  satisfaction  that  Congrega- 
tionalism is  going  on  all  right  in  India?  If  so, 
you  have  missed  everything.  You  have  missed 
seeing  Christ  Himself  at  the  head  of  this  little 
band,  loving  it,  encouraging  it,  but  who,  with  His 
wondrous  pitying  eyes  looks  upon  the  Congrega- 
tional churches  in  America,  and  wonders  that 
there  is  none  to  come  up  to  the  help  of  the  Lord, 
save  these  few,  against  the  millions  of  Satan’s 
forces. 

You  have  been  shown  all  these  things  that  you 
might  give  the  more  — give  yourself. 


39 


Secretary  Barton  on  Present  Conditions 
in  India  and  Ceylon* 


(We  print  below  an  extract  from  the  annual 
survey  of  the  work  of  the  Board,  presented  by 
Secretary  Barton  at  the  annual  meeting.  It 
gives  an  excellent  statement  as  to  the  situation 
in  India.) 

There  are  no  missions  of  this  Board  that  for  a 
generation  have  been  so  free  from  external  dis- 
turbances as  have  been  the  missions  in  India  and 
Ceylon.  In  those  countries  no  political  up- 
heavals have  occurred,  and  the  work  of  the  mis- 
sionaries has  had  the  approval  and  cooperation  of 
the  governments.  At  the  same  time  the  people 
themselves  have  been  friendly  and  for  the  most 
part  ready  to  respond.  In  these  respects,  as  well 
as  in  other  particulars,  these  three  missions  differ 
widely  from  our  missions  in  Turkey,  China,  and 
some  other  countries.  The  great  drawbacks  to 
the  progress  of  Christian  work  among  the  people 
of  India  are  the  famines  that  occur  altogether  too 
frequentty  and  the  scourges  of  cholera  and  plague 
that  so  afflict  the  land.  To  this  is  to  be  added  the 
poverty  of  the  common  people,  due  in  part  to  the 
economic  conditions  of  the  country  and  in  part  to 
caste,  indolence,  and  lack  of  forethought. 

Our  three  missions  in  these  countries  include 
two  of  the  oldest  missions  of  the  Board.  We 
have  a distinct  field  assigned  to  us  by  common 
consent,  in  which  dwell  some  7,000,000  of  people. 
These  look  to  our  missionaries  and  to  this  Board 
for  their  Christian  teaching  and  general  enlight- 
enment. 

We  have  established  among  these  two  distinct 
races,  the  Marathis  and  the  Tamils,  all  phases  of 
Christian  work.  In  no  country  have  we  a clearer 
or  more  complete  exhibit  of  evangelistic,  educa- 
tional, medical,  literary,  and  industrial  work  than 
appears  in  these  three  missions.  Our  eighty- 
three  missionaries  reside  at  twenty-one  different 
centers,  including  the  largest  and  most  important 
towns  in  their  districts.  Outside  of  these  station 
centers  there  are  nearly  one  thousand  different 
places  occupied  by  some  mission  institution,  like 
a church  or  preaching  place  or  school  or,  in  a few 


40 


cases,  by  only  a group  of  Christians,  exerting  their 
influence  for  Christ.  This  vast  and  varied  work, 
covering  great  areas  of  country,  was  looked  after 
in  detail  last  year  by  a trained  Christian  native 
force  numbering  1,481  men  and  women.  Many 
of  these  are  men  of  liberal  education  and  widely 
recognized  ability.  All  have  been  trained  for 
this  work  in  mission  institutions,  and  to  the  work 
they  give  their  entire  time  and  strength.  For 
every  male  American  missonary  connected  with 
these  three  missions  there  are,  upon  an  average, 
forty-three  trained  native  Christian  workers. 
This  fact  clearly  shows  the  policy  of  these  missions 
as  regards  the  training  and  employment  of  a 
native  agency. 

There  are  115  organized  churches,  with  a native 
membership  at  the  present  time  of  14,354,  or  an 
average  of  125  members  to  each  church.  Last 
year  these  churches  added  nearly  nine  hundred 
members  upon  confession  of  their  faith.  Three 
fine  new  stone  churches  were  erected,  one  in 
Pasumalai,  one  in  Bombay,  and  one  in  Ahmed- 
nagar,  and  another  was  completed  in  Yadala. 
The  Christian  work  has  been  characterized  by  a 
real  revival  spirit  in  many  places. 

The  educational  work  culminates  in  three  theo- 
logical schools  for  men,  one  in  each  mission,  and 
* two  schools  for  training  Bible-women,  both  in 
India.  Jaffna  College  in  Ceylon  and  the  American 
Madura  College  at  Madura  comprise  the  collegiate 
institutions  ; but  the  high  schools  for  boys  at 
Bombay  and  Ahmednagar  and  for  girls  at  Uduvil, 
Ceylon,  Madura,  Ahmednagar,  and  Bombay, 
with  their  many  feeders,  are  doing  much  to  break 
down  prejudice  and  to  prepare  men  and  women 
for  Christian  leadership. 

The  most  of  the  accessions  to  the  churches  came 
from  these  schools.  Pasumalai  College,  with  over 
one  thousand  pupils  in  all  departments,  is  greatly 
enlarging  its  plant,  and  has  been  reorganizing  its 
departments  and  forces  in  order  to  greater  unity 
and  efficiency.  In  all  of  the  schools  conducted 
by  our  three  missions  there  studied  last  year 
24,456  pupils.  All  these  selected  Indian  youth 
were  thus  brought  under  direct  and  positive 
Christian  instruction.  These  schools  afford  a 
most  favorable  opportunity  for  inculcating  Chris- 
tian truths,  while  at  the  same  time  they  open  tho 


41 


door  of  approach  to  the  Mohammedans  and 
Hindus. 

The  great  suffering  of  the  people  and  the  un- 
usual influence  of  medical  missions  have  led  to 
the  development  of  this  arm  of  the  work  for  both 
men  and  women  in  all  three  of  these  missions. 
Medical  missions  require  no  explanations,  and 
their  beneficent  service  is  immediately  recog- 
nized by  all  classes  of  people.  To  the  great  mass 
of  India’s  suffering  multitudes  the  missionary 
hospital  surpasses  their  highest  conception  of 
heaven.  Last  year  the  physicians  connected  with 
these  three  missions  treated  over  91,000  cases, 
although  one  hospital  w^as  closed,  owing  to  the 
absence  upon  furlough  of  the  physician  in  charge, 
and  another  was  open  only  a part  of  the  year. 
The  missions  are  in  a position  to  render  in  this 
respect  even  a larger  service  during  the  year  to 
come.  This  enumeration  does  not  include  three 
leper  asylums  superintended  by  our  missions, 
but  supported  by  the  London  Society  for  Work 
among  Lepers. 

The  economic  and  industrial  conditions  in 
India  have  compelled  our  missions  to  introduce 
into  their  educational  system  many  forms  of 
industrial  training.  It  is  found  that,  for  the 
youth  of  that  country,  some  form  of  industrial 
training  is  calculated  to  do  more  toward  the 
awakening  of  the  intellect  and  the  development  of 
character,  than  the  ordinary  educational  course 
alone.  Our  missions  as  well  as  the  government 
are  practically  agreed  that  some  form  of  indus- 
trial training  has  a large  place  in  the  best  educa- 
tional systems  for  India.  We  have  this  line  of 
work  well  developed  at  Bombay,  Ahmednagar, 
Sirur,  Sholapur,  and  in  Ceylon,  while  plans  for 
the  same  work  in  connection  with  the  college  at ' 
Madura  are  maturing.  The  famines  have  com- 
pelled our  missions  to  provide  for  large  numbers 
of  orphans,  and  this  has  necessitated  industrial 
operations  as  a means  of  support,  while  inciden- 
tally they  * have  taught  independence  and  self- 
reliance.  It  has  been  demonstrated  that  the 
student  who  engages  in  some  industrial  training 
exercises  each  day  makes  more  substantial  and 
rapid  progress  in  his  regular  studies  than  do  those 
who  do  not  work  with  their  hands 

All  of  these  missions  have  continued  to  push 
the  work  of  preparing  and  issuing  a Christian 


42 


literature  in  the  vernacular  as  well  as  in  English, 
the  language  used  by  all  educated  Indians. 
Several  million  pages  have  been  issued  during  the 
year,  and  the  output  is  not  yet  equal  to  the 
demand. 

An  interesting  feature  of  the  Christian  work  in 
these  three  missions  is  that  of  their  financial 
support.  The  people  for  the  most  part  are 
desperately  poor.  In  spite  of  this  fact,  last  year 
they  gave  for  the  support  of  their  own  Christian 
and  educational  institutions  146,000  rupees,  or 
$48,666.  This  great  sum  was  given  in  a land 
where  a day's  wage  for  a common  laborer  averages 
less  than  ten  cents  and  where  an  educated  man 
serves  as  pastor  for  a native  church  upon  a salary 
of  from  $50  to  $100  a year,  and  yet  some  people 
still  remark  that  these  poor  Indians  become 
Christian  for  what  they  can  get  out  of  it  in  money. 
At  the  same  time,  the  Indian  and  the  Ceylon 
governments  have  assisted  our  three  missions  in 
direct  grants  in  aid  of  hospitals,  schools,  and  in- 
dustrial operations  amounting  in  all  to  over 
100,000  rupees,  or  $33,300.  In  the  face  of  this 
fact  some  say  that  local  governments  are  not  in 
favor  of  missionaries  or  of  their  work. 

The  entire  7,000,000  souls  for  whom  we  are  at 
work  in  these  three  missions  are  directly  accessible 
to  the  influences  of  the  gospel,  and  might  be 
reached  at  once  if  only  we  had  a sufficient  force  of 
workers.  The  three  missions  are  calling  for  im- 
mediate re-enforcement,  in  order  to  hold  the  work 
now  organized,  to  say  nothing  of  entering  new 
and  wide-open  doors. 


43 


AN 


ASSURED  INCOME 
For  LIFE 


Write  to  the  Treasurer  of  the  American 
Board  for  information  as  to  the  Plan  for 

CONDITIONAL  GIFTS 

By  this  plan  donors  may  secure  the 
guarantee  of  the  American  board,  than 
which  there  is  none  better,  for  the 

semi-annual  payment,  during  life,  of  an 
amount  equal  to  a good  rate  of  in- 
terest, the  principal  to  go  ultimately  to 
the  work  of  the  American  Board. 

The  Points  are  these  : 

1 Safety 

2 Regular  and  prompt  payment 

3 No  change  of  securities 

4 No  care  required 

5 A fair  rate  of  interest 

6 The  final  use  of  the  money  given  for  the 

best  missionary  purposes 

The  plan  is  most  heartily  commended 
by  the  soundest  financiers.  Address 

FRANK  H.  WIGGIN, 

Treasurer  A.  B.  C.  F.  M. 

Congregational  House  - Boston,  Mass. 


The  AMERICAN  BOARD  has  sets  of 

Stereopticon  Slides 

on  different  phases  of 

MISSION  WORK 

IN  CHINA,  INDIA,  AFRICA,  JAPAN, 
TURKEY,  HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS, 
MICRONESIA  AND  SPAIN, 

which  they  are  glad  to  send  out  to 
pastors,  Sunday-school  superintendents, 
and  others  who  wish  to  use  them  in  the 
interests  of  the  work  of  the  Board.  Each 
set  is  accompanied  by  a description  or 
lecture,  making  it  possible  for  them  to  be 
used  by  one  who  is  not  specially  in- 
formed on  the  country  presented. 

The  only  expense  is  that  the  express  charges 
shall  be  paid  on  the  slides,  and  that  losses  by  break- 
age be  made  good. 

Applications  should  be  made,  as  long  in  advance 
of  the  time  when  they  are  to  be  used  as  possible,  to 

JOHN,  G.  HOSMER,  14  Beacon  Street.  Boston. 

REV.  C.  C.  CREEGAN,  D.D.,  4th  Ave.  and  22d 
Street,  New  York  City. 

REV.  A.  N.  HITCHCOCK,  Ph.D.,  153  LaSalle 
Street,  Chicago,  111. 

REV.  H.  M.  TENNEY,  Barker  Block,  Berkeley, 
California. 


The  Forward  Movement 
Missionary  Library 


This  excellent  library  should  find  a place  in 
every  Sunday  School  and  in  the  homes  of  all  in- 
terested in  the  world-wide  work  of  missions. 

The  entire  collection  of  sixteen  volumes  in 
original  bindings  may  be  purchased  for 
$10  cash.  Sets  not  broken.  Express 
charges  extra. 

Transformation  of  Hawaii  Belle  M.  Brain 

The  Gist  of  Japan  Rev.  R.  B.  Peery 

Chinese  Characteristics  Arthur  H . Smith,  D.D. 
The  Cross  in  the  Land  of  the  Trident 

Harlan  P.  Beach 
In  the  T iger  Jungle  Jacob  Chamberlain, D.D. ,M.  D . 
The  Bishop's  Conversion 

Mrs.  Ellen  Blackmar  Maxwell 
My  Life  and  Times  Cyrus  Hamlin,  D.D. 

Personal  Life  of  David  Livingstone 

Wm.  G.  Blaikie,  D.D. 
In  Lands  Afar  Edited  by  E . E.  Strong,  D.D. 

Famous  Missionaries  of  the  Church 

C.  C.  Creegan,  D.D. 

The  Healing  of  the  Nations 

J.  Rutter  Williamson,  M.B. 
Social  Evils  in  the  Non-Christian  World 

J.  S.  Dennis,  D.D. 
The  Evangelization  of  the  World  in  this  Generation 

John  R.  Mott 

The  Ecumenical  Conference  Report.  2 vols. 

The  Chinese  Slave  Girl  Rev.  A.  T . Davis 


cAddress  JOHN  G.  HOSMER,  Agent 


I 4 BEACON  STREET 


BOSTON,  MASS 


By  MRS.  THEODORA  CROSBY  BLISS 


FOR  TEN  YEARS  A MISSIONARY  IN  MICRONESIA 

MICRONESIA 

Fifty  Years  in  the  Island 
World 

HISTORY  OF  THE  MISSION 
OF  THE  AMERICAN  BOARD 


This  is  a fascinating  story  of  missionary  work  in  one 
large  section  of  the  Pacific  Islands.  It  is  the  first  complete 
history  of  what  has  been  attempted  and  accomplished 
through  the  missionaries  of  the  American  Board  among  the 
nature-peoples  of  Micronesia.  The  book  has  been  written 
by  one  who  has  shared  in  the  work  in  Micronesia,  and  her 
facile  pen  depicts  graphically  the  interesting  history.  The 
volume  will  be  of  the  same  style  and  about  the  same  size  as 
“ Christus  Redemptor,”  which  forms  the  basis  for  study  for 
next  year  in  many  missionary  organizations  of  all  denomin- 
ations. But  “ Christus  Redemptor/’  which  covers  the  whole 
Island  World,  could  give  but  little  space  comparatively  to 
Micronesia,  and  this  volume  of  Mrs.  Bliss  will  be  essential 
to  a knowledge  of  this  important  part  of  the  field.  The 
volume  will  be  fully  illustrated  from  photographs  of  scenes 
in  the  islands. 


Price  in  cloth,  50cts.;  paper  covers,  30  cts. 

4 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE 

AMERICAN  BOARD  OF  COMMISSIONERS 

FOR  FOREIGN  MISSIONS 

ADDRESS 

JOHN  G.  HOSMER,  Agent 
14  BEA-CON  STREET,  BOSTON, 


3 0 


12  059259371 


Send  contributions  for  the  work  of  the  Amer- 
ican Board  to 

FRANK  H.  WIGGIN,  Treasurer, 

Congregational  House,  Boston. 


Literature  and  leaflets  of  the  American 
Board  may  be  had  by  addressing 
John  G.  Hosmer,  Congregational  House,  14 
Beacon  Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Or  at  the  offices  of  the  District  Secretaries : 
Rev.  C.  C.  Creegan,  D D.,  4th  Avenue  and 
22d  Street,  New  York  City. 

Rev.  A.  N.  Hitchcock,  Ph.D.,  153  La  Salle 
Street,  Chicago,  111. 

Rev.  H.  Melville  Tenney,  Barker  Block, 
Berkeley,  Cal. 


“THE  MISSIONARY  HERALD.” 
Single  Subscriptions,  75  cents;  in  clubs  of 
ten,  50  cents  each. 


FORM  OF  BEQUEST. 

I give,  devise  and  bequeath  unto  the  “Amer- 
ican Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Mis- 
sions,” incorporated  in  Massachusetts  in  1812, 

the  sum  of dollars 

to  be  expended  for  the  appropriate  objects  of 
said  corporation. 


